1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to the field of systems and methods for video recording of television programs, and more particularly, the present invention relates to systems and methods for video recording of related television programs.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Cable, satellite, Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) or Over the Top (OTT) television (TV) is, in general, a popular system enabling to provide a multiplicity of customers or viewers, using television systems that include TV devices and Set-Top Boxes, with a multiplicity of television and radio programs broadcasted and transmitted to the viewers through various communication networks and techniques.
A Set-Top Box (STB) is a device that can receive signals from at least one receiver for TV and radio transmissions, where the STB can further connect to a TV device (especially to a digital TV enabling to read digital signals) and turn the received signals into media content data to enable displaying the media content to viewers using the TV device. An STB may be a stand-alone device or may be embedded in the TV or the viewing device.
The signals' transmission of the media content data is usually divided into channels, each channel enables receiving and displaying different content data of different programs, so that in any given moment the viewer can select to view a program delivered through one of the channels.
The STB facilitates the display of an electronic programs guide (EPG), which is an on-screen TV guide enabling the display of the schedules of future and present broadcast TV, radio programs or any other broadcasted media and allow other operations and information retrieval and presentation such as: navigating through channels and through programs' schedules, select programs, define notification parameters and schedules for notifying the viewer when his selected program begins, retrieve information relating to each program on the guide, etc.
The STB can be operatively associated with a recording device such as a Videocassette Recorder (VCR) or a Digital Video Recorder (DVR) that may allow the viewer to record programs. The STB may also contain storage (e.g. hard disk, flash memory) to allow content data recording.
The DVR can be integrated in the STB allowing the viewer to operate a recording of a specific TV program in a specific channel by selecting the program, using the EPG, and selecting a recording option in the EPG interface (e.g. by using predefined button in a remote control that is operatively associated with the STB and may further be associated with the TV device, to operate the recording of a program).